For those of us who bought our cars when it was advertised as 247 HP, Mazda announced it was only 238 HP, and then offered either A) to buy the car back, or B) "FREE factory-scheduled maintenance during your vehicle's limited warranty", according to the print on the little plastic credit card.

It's supposed to be a $1500 dollar value if I recall correctly. That sounds about right if it covers everything for the first 40,000 miles. One problem though--my dealer now claims that it only covers basically oil changes. Let's do the math.

40,000 miles/3,000 miles oil changes = 13 oil changes paid for by Mazda

$1500/13 free oil changes = $115.38 per each oil change

That's a wee bit high, even for oil changes by the dealership, isn't it?

The reason I ask is, I had the 30,000 mile service done, assuming that it was covered under the free maintenance thing. I should have asked first, because they say it isn't. It seems to me that the 30,000 mile service not only qualifies as "maintenance" but also "factory scheduled".

So...have any other early buyers with the card got their 30,000 mile scheduled service done for free? Or is it, in fact, only for getting free oil changes.

 

Should cover everything except wear items (Brake pads, Tires) My 30,000 mi was done @ No Charge.

 

Yes I was part of the new buyers group and was entitled to this free service. It covers oil changes, tranny, differantial, and brake fluid changes. It also covers the replaced of the air filter and spark plugs. And of course lubing door locks and hinges.

It doesn't cover the replacement of brake pads or brake rotors.

Chechk your owners manual. It covers everything that needs to be replaced in the scheduled maintence up to 3 years or 80,000 kms.

 

The service items aren't rocket science and I could have done them myself (except the alignment). The reason I brought my car in regularly was free tires. My dealer has a thing where you get free tires if you get all your scheduled maintence done there. Yeah, I'll drive across town for free maintence AND free tires, sure!

If the 30,000 mile thing isn't covered, then it's not such a sweet deal though, is it? They said I had to pay for the 30,000 mile service ($400), and also the scheduled alignment I should have done a few thousand miles ago. So, for both of those items I had to pay a grand total of $682.

Now if they had given me the tires I wanted (Toyo T1-R), maybe that price would be worth it. (Although I'd still say the card is supposed to cover everything) But no, they insisted on going with the sucktacular Potenza RE040's. I pointed out that the Toyos (well, almost any tire, really) would last much longer, handle better, make less noise, and actually cost less for them to buy--better for me, more profitable for them. No dice. They said 100% factory original tires. It's like dealerships don't even have mechanics anymore, they just have brain-dead parts changers who follow the procedure to the tiniest detail without thinking. A/C compressor cycles on/off? Follow official procedure for repair. Official repair is a joke and doesn't work in the slightest? Repeat official procedure again and again. Durrrrrr. What's that definition of "insanity" I always hear about?

 

I have one of those cards.

Your dealer is incorrect. As stated on the back of the card, it covers all factory-scheduled maintenance items for the first 48 months or 50K miles. It even refers to the "recommended maintenance and schedules" ( in Section 8) of your owner's manual. I don't know why dealerships do this kind of crap. MNAO is paying the bill and you can simply call the Mazda 800 number to get the straight story.

The only static I ever got was my dealer balked at doing tire rotations, which is not in the schedules but listed in the text in Section 8. However, they ultimately covered it. When you consider Schedule 2 over 48 months (with frequent oil changes, filters, plugs, diff and tranny oil change and the associated labor) it is easily $1,500.

 

Your dealer is full of crap. At 30,000 miles I got not just an oil change, but a brake bleed and refill, and a bunch of other maintenance stuff besides the oil change. All added up, I think that it would have come to a little below $400. Tires, brake pads are definitely not covered under the maintenance program. At 35K I switched schedules to get the spark plugs put in a little early, mine had worn out, and those were also covered under the maintenance program. If they hadn't been, I think that they are over $125. So, yes the free maintenance program covers more than just oil changes. You should have everything except tires, brake pads, and windshield wipers covered by the program. Twice my dealer has tried to get out of billing Mazda (totally from ignorance; I'm the only one at my dealer on the program), but presentation of the card and a phone call to the 1 (800) number has gotten them to cover the services completely both times. Don't let them charge you. You had 9 horsepower stolen dammit!

 

Okay, here's where I'm at now.

Called Mazda's 1-800 number. The guy says my card covers everything listed in Schedule 1 of the owner's manual. Hmmm. Which as it turns out, is basically an oil change, plus inspection of multiple parts.

My dealer (coughJoeMyerscough) has a chart on their wall, explaining the different scheduled services. I have realized that it's slightly different. Whereas the factory recommendation might be to check the radiator coolant, their board says "flush/replace coolant. So when someone comes in and says "hey, it's time for the 30,000 mile service right?", they can bill them for a lot more than an oil change and inspection.

They also faxed this to me:



If this is correct, then Mazda is only obligated to cover:

1) Six oil changes
2) 4 spark plugs
3) labor

And I'm supposed to believe that 6 oil changes plus sparkplugs and parts inspection is worth $1500? (Mazda DID say it was worth $1500 when they were offering to buy cars back, right?) No way. No f#$%ing way. You'd have to charge $200 for oil changes and $300 for sparkplugs.

 

Schedule 1 over 48 months:
- 8 oil/filter changes
- 3 airfilter cleanings and one replace
- 1 spark plug replace
- 1 engine coolant replace
- 1 transmission oil replace
- 1 differential oil replace
- 2 cabin air filters
- a multitude of inspections

 

As Msrecant says, all of that stuff is on schedule 1, but I think that Brake fluid should be on it as well. I had mine changed by the dealer at 30K as part of the scheduled service. It isn't just oil changes. Check page 8-4 of your owners manual.

 

I had the dealer tell me basically the same thing, the "free" maintenance with the card only covers oil changes. It came up when I asked them to replace the cabin air filter at the time prescribed by the manual. They said it's not covered by the card. I called Mazda NA and they said what the dealer claimed is true. But, for me, they would call the dealer and have them install it at no charge. The card seems like a joke and I'm tired of the joke always being on me.

 

I absolutely believe that Mazda NA said that, but let us refer to the letter that was sent to us asking us to accept this maintenance program in the first place and that created the offer for the contractual agreement that we would not sue them for misrepresenting the car's capabilities shall we?

August 22, 2003:

(I reference only the applicable part) . . . "While 4% is a very small difference in peak output, it is nevertheless not the number we originally published. Therefore, to ensure your complete satisfaction with Mazda and the RX-8, we're offering you two options:

Free (emphasis added) SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE for the balance of the factory warranty (48 MONTHS/ 50,000 miles) AND a $500 same as cash debit card, redeemable at any retailer who accepts debit cards."

That is everything on the SCHEDULE, which is on page 8-4 of the Owner's manual and includes cabin air filter (at the bottom) if installed, differential and transmission oil at 48 months, spark plugs and air cleaner and 30K on schedule 1.

Any denial of these services for free under the stated maintenance schedule by Mazda NA is probably actionable as breach of contract, and do feel free to threaten to sue them. They didn't GIVE us anything. They paid us for releasing them from a misrepresentation, and that is a contract which they have to abide by. That's MHO.

 

I agree with HAZE. They committed to all scheduled maintenance, no iffs, ands or buts. Any dealership that disputes this is wrong and a quick call to the Mazda 800 number should rectify it.

I even believe you have a case to invoke Schedule 2, if you car qualifies for the higher maintenance requirement (which includes 2 tranny/diff fluid changes and 2 brake fluid changes).

 

Actually, as I go further through my notes the warranty bulletin which was issued to dealers at the time the maintenance program went into effect is more expansive than this. It does NOT limit MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE to schedule 1. It (Warranty Bulletin Category AD, Number 47 Effective 9/29/03) states that it is everything on pages 8-3 through 8-5 of the 2004 Owner's Manual. It also further goes on to spell out each service including spark plugs and fluids where the Owner's Manual says that you should get them. I've never had to make these arguments because my dealer has always gotten the services properly covered. Best of luck.

 

Well, I had my car at the dealer for several non-maintenance repairs and another car in the shop lost its brakes and rammed the rear of my car. It's off to the body shop for what they say is a new bumper cover and tail light. They never even got to my problems of high oil usage, rough idle, and burning rubber smell.

Guys, this may be one of my last postings. When I get the car back, it's going up for sale to the highest bidder. This car just has way too many problems and I spend too much time at the dealer. Going to drive the Kia for a year or two and then shop for another car. It definitely won't be a Mazda.

 

Ooh, sorry man. I'm on my third bumper cover, but those were not the fault of the dealer just a drunk college kid and an idiot township worker. Go drive the fiat for a bit. I find that driving my Alfa usually cheers me up when I get pissed. Best of luck.

 

yes and in fact i told my dealer from the outset that i was using schedule 2 only and they put it right in their notes so every time i come in they dont even blink about it.

 

Haze,

The Fiat does cheer me up. It's been surprisingly troublefree and just goes and goes. It even gets about 30mpg, which is great right now. It's just about top down cruising weather, so maybe you're right. I'll drive the Fiat for a while and decide about the Mazda.

 

I pulled my Alfa out about two weeks ago, and set the ignition and carbs yesterday. I think the great thing about driving old Italian cars, besides the fabulous exhaust sound and endless tossability, is that you have a tremendous connection to the road that is totally lacking is today's very complicated and computerised vehicles. It's the ultimate antidote to CELs. I hope that you feel better about the Mazda soon, and if not then get into something that you like better. All the best - H

 

I'll have to check my bill, but I'm pretty sure they actually did these things rather than merely inspecting them. But if these three are covered as replacements (probably at 50,000 miles I'm assuming), then they can sure cover them early, even though I'm only at 30,000 miles. This should at least knock the bill down substantially.

Regardless of whether or not I get my money back, MNAO is getting an earfull, that's a fact. I brought my car to these guys for regular maintence stuff because A) it was always free until now; and B) free tires "if you do all your maintence here". Looks like their idea of what "all your maintence" is differs from Mazda's.

Moral of the Story:

1) Any employee of a car dealership is a bulls****er at best, and a sociopathic liar at worst. Keep your children away from these serpents, and get any promises in explicit writing.

2) Do not agree to services over the phone. Get a written contract drawn up of services to be performed, or if you must use the phone, get a recording of the conversation. Get an explicit listing of every single item to be performed.

3) See point #1